The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of apple tree, referred to by the varietal name Stiekema 1.
The parent tree(s) of the new variety originated as a limb mutation found on a tree of the Obrogala cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,621) that was discovered in a cultivated area in Hood River, Oreg. Trees of the new variety have been asexually reproduced by budding in Hood River, Oreg., on M7 and M9 rootstock.
The Stiekema 1 variety was compared to the Obrogala variety. Fruit was harvested from trees grown at Hood River, Oreg. and were from trees of similar age grafted on M7 and M9 rootstock. This invention has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. However, the following combination of traits have been repeatedly observed in asexually propagated progeny and are determined to be the basic characteristics of this invention, which in combination distinguish this variety of apple as a new and distinct variety: (1) the fruit are significantly larger than fruit from `Obrogala` and from other standard Gala-type apple varieties, and, compared to `Obrogala`, have a deeper and wider cavity, larger basin, and longer and thicker stem; (2) an intense red fruit coloration that is similar in shade and intensity to `Obrogala` and that covers approximately 90-100% of the fruit surface; (3) the leaves are different in color than `Obrogala`, having a bronze appearance that is most evident in young leaves: (4 ) leaves that are smaller, have fewer and less significant marginal undulations and thus appear flatter, have margins with finer and sharper serrations, and leaf tips that are more pointed and end less abruptly compared to `Obrogala`; (5) the leaf petiole is shorter than `Obrogala`; (6) the tree is slightly less vigorous than `Obrogala`; (7) and branches are thinner, tend to terminate sooner, and have a smaller internodal length than `Obrogala`.
Asexual reproduction by budding and grafting in Hood River, Oreg. shows that these characteristics are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.